@article{ref1,
title="Falls in post-polio patients: prevalence and risk factors",
journal="Biology (Basel)",
year="2021",
author="Ofran, Yonah and Schwartz, Isabella and Shabat, Sheer and Seyres, Martin and Karniel, Naama and Portnoy, Sigal",
volume="10",
number="11",
pages="e1110-e1110",
abstract="Individuals with post-polio syndrome (PPS) suffer from falls and secondary damage. <br><br>AIM: To (i) analyze the correlation between spatio-temporal gait data and fall measures (fear and frequency of falls) and to (ii) test whether the gait parameters are predictors of fall measures in PPS patients. <br><br>METHODS: Spatio-temporal gait data of 50 individuals with PPS (25 males; age 65.9 ± 8.0) were acquired during gait and while performing the Timed Up-and-Go test. Subjects filled the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC Scale) and reported number of falls during the past year. <br><br>RESULTS: ABC scores and number of falls correlated with the Timed Up-and-Go, and gait cadence and velocity. The number of falls also correlated with the swing duration symmetry index and the step length variability. Four gait variability parameters explained 33.2% of the variance of the report of falls (p = 0.006). The gait velocity was the best predictor of the ABC score and explained 24.8% of its variance (p = 0.001). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Gait variability, easily measured by wearables or pressure-sensing mats, is an important predictor of falls in PPS population. Therefore, gait variability might be an efficient tool before devising a patient-specific fall prevention program for the PPS patient.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2079-7737",
doi="10.3390/biology10111110",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology10111110"
}